INTERACTION BETWEEN THE NGC 3258 POOR GROUP AND THE NGC 3268 CLUSTER

ABSTRACT

In our previous ASCA pointing of the poor NGC 3258 group, emission extending towards the NGC 3268 cluster 300 kpc away was clearly detected by both GISs. The EINSTEIN IPC 2300 s exposure of this region shows a morphology highly suggesting that the NGC 3258 group is dragging out gas from the NGC 3268 cluster. Our GIS spectra of the interaction region indicate a significantly higher abundance of the gas in between the NGC 3258 group and the NGC 3268 cluster. We propose to obtain SIS spectra of the emission in the interaction region and a pointing centered on the NGC 3268 cluster for mapping this cluster for the first time. Together with our previous ASCA pointing, the two new pointings will establish the evolutionary state of this group - cluster system.